Tortilla de patatas is Spain's defining egg dish and Madrid's daily breakfast pincho: a thick, juicy potato-and-egg cake (with or without onion), sliced from the pan and eaten at the counter with a cana.
Where to eat it: 9 restaurants across 2 cities.
Tortilla de patatas may have originated in Navarra in 1817 with general Tomas de Zumalacarregui during the Carlist Wars, but Madrid adopted it as its working-day breakfast and tapa by the early 20th century. The two-camp debate (con cebolla vs sin cebolla, with or without onion) runs the country. The Madrid version is thick, very juicy in the centre (poco hecha), and the canonical Madrid eg slice is Casa Dani's tortilla at Mercado de la Paz, where the cake is cooked to order daily and a pincho still costs 2 euros. Sacha Hormaechea introduced the tortilla vaga (lazy tortilla, undercooked and topped with caviar) at his Chamartin bistro; it became a Madrid modernist signature.
Common allergens: Egg
Tip from the editors. The Madrid version is intentionally juicy in the centre (poco hecha); pull it off the heat earlier than instinct says. The two-flip technique gives the canonical thick golden cake.
Casa Dani in Mercado de la Paz in Madrid has cooked the city's most-talked-about tortilla de patatas for 40 years; the pincho runs 2 euros and the menu del.
Try: Pincho de tortilla, menu del dia
Tip: Walk-in only. Closed Sundays. The pincho de tortilla at 2 euros is the cheapest tortilla in Madrid; menu del dia under 13.
Sacha in Madrid's Chamartin is the bistro by Sacha Hormaechea, whose lazy-tortilla and lasana de boletus are reference dishes for half the country's modern.
Signature: Tortilla vaga, Atun con caviar, Lasana de boletus
Order: The tortilla vaga (lazy tortilla, undercooked and topped with caviar) and the lasana de boletus.
Tip: Book three weeks ahead; tables of two are easier than four. The dining room is intimate, the chef circulates between courses.
Bodega de la Ardosa in Madrid's Malasana has poured the vermut de grifo since 1892 from the 30-foot zinc bar, with salmorejo, tortilla de patatas.
Signature: Salmorejo, Tortilla de patatas, Vermut
Order: Vermut de grifo (2.50 euros), a slice of tortilla de patatas, salmorejo. Crawl in via the back door.
Tip: Walk-in only; the back room takes 8 people max. The historic main bar fills up at 13:00; cash preferred.
Casa Ciriaco on Calle Mayor in Madrid has served the gallina en pepitoria (hen in almond and saffron sauce) since 1929, three steps from where Alfonso XIII.
Signature: Gallina en pepitoria, Callos a la madrilena, Perdiz estofada
Order: The gallina en pepitoria with rice and the callos a la madrilena. Half-bottle of house Valdepenas.
Tip: Closed Wednesdays. The Tuesday and Thursday cocido is the surest order; the dining room is full of regulars by 14:30.
Celso y Manolo in Madrid's Chueca is the 1928-revived taberna by the Carlos Zamora group, with a vermut barrel, tortilla de patatas and croquetas at counter.
Signature: Tortilla, Croquetas, Vermut
Order: A vermut de grifo (3 euros) at the bar, the croquetas (3 euros each) and the tortilla de patatas.
Tip: Walk-in only at the bar; the dining room takes reservations. The terrace on Calle Libertad fills up by 13:00.
Antonio Bar on Bergara Kalea in San Sebastian's Centro skips the Old Town queues and pours the city's best tortilla and a canonical gilda at the counter.
Why locals love it: Centro neighbourhood counter the Old Town queues skip, with the city's best tortilla and a canonical gilda.
Tip: Tortilla finishes by 14:30; arrive earlier on weekends Word-of-mouth is the only marketing.
Bar Bergara on General Artetxe in San Sebastian's Gros, since 1950, sets out one of the most decorated miniature-cuisine pintxo counters in the city.
Signature: Txalupa, Itxaso, Tortilla de anchoas
Order: The Txalupa gratin of prawn and mushroom; a wedge of the tortilla de anchoas; a glass of Txakoli.
Tip: Walk in at the counter; small street terrace fills first. Closed Wednesdays.
La Cuchara de San Telmo on Calle 31 de Agosto in San Sebastian, open since 1999 by El Bulli and Lasarte-trained chefs, cooks made-to-order modern pintxos.
Signature: Carrillera de ternera al vino tinto, Foie a la plancha, Pulpo a la brasa
Order: The carrillera de ternera in red wine; foie a la plancha with apple compote; pulpo a la brasa.
Tip: Queue before 13:00 or after 21:00; the bar is four-deep at peak. No reservations.
Bartolo on Fermin Calbeton in San Sebastian's Old Town keeps one of the longest pintxo display counters in the quarter, with a sit-down dining room serving.
Signature: Tortilla de patatas, Gilda, Brocheta
Order: A tortilla pintxo from the counter; sit down for the steak or seared fish in the back.
Tip: Counter pintxos are pay-as-you-go; back room takes reservations through their site. Closed Tuesdays.
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